Category: Indiana News

Earlham College will be hosting a conference on the transgender singing voice in early 2017. You can contribute to this wonderful opportunity by sharing your interests. If you are interested in being a part of this event, please fill out (and share!) this poll. Further questions can be directed to:…

On Tuesday, June 7, please join the Rotary Club of Indianapolis at noon at the Scottish Rite Cathedral as we celebrate Pride Month. Rotarian President Elect Sheila Carlson and her son, Brenden Paradies, will talk about the journey they have taken during Brenden’s transition- he was born a female but…

Being Transgender In Indiana: Making History Past and Present Wednesday, June 8 at 5 PM – 9 PM Indiana Historical Society Buy Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2544151 FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST Andrea James!!! Produced in cooperation with the Indiana Historical Society, BEING TRANSGENDER IN INDIANA: MAKING HISTORY PAST AND PRESENT is…

Source: WTHR.com – Obama administration orders directive to schools on transgender bathroom use; Indiana schools respond (Source includes video interview) WASHINGTON – Local school districts are responding to a federal recommendation that all students be allowed to use the restroom of the gender they most identify with. The recommendation comes…

Alex Gino, the author of “George”, will be at: Kids Ink 5619 N. Illinois Street Thursday, May 19th at 6:00pm to read and discuss this Children’s Stonewall Award-winning new book. “George” is the story of a transgender fourth-grader coming to grips with the decision to begin telling the community who…

The NCAA has set new requirements for cities bidding to host NCAA events in all of its divisions. Cities must have anti-discrimination laws and must show that their environment are welcome and safe for all players and spectators. The new requirements may affect cities that have already been awarded bids…

WFYI News: No Limits / Protection of Indiana’s Intersex/Transgender Children Melissa Eberle Bickel, mother of a transgender child, speaks with WFYI News about her child and protections for trans and intersex children, along with Representative Ed. Clere (R)

Chris shares her thoughts about living in Indiana and the recent legislation on her blog: Transgender Hoosiers Are Not Second Class: An Open Letter to the Indiana Legislature To Mike Pence and the Indiana Legislature: I am a transgender Hoosier, and I am afraid. I am writing to you for…

Danville, Indiana Back in June, my 20 year old son told me he was transgender. She has started hormone therapy with her goal being to eventually have reassignment surgery. Personally I never gave much thought about restrooms. If you had to go you went. Until my child broke the news.…

We’re going to be featuring more stories and letters from transgender Hoosiers talking about their experiences with discrimination, their fears about living in a less-than-accepting state, and what they would like their legislators to understand about transgender people. Here is Jayne’s story: Dear Legislators, I write today as more than…

Indiana Senate Bill 344 passed out of committee last night with some amendments which broadened the exclusions that allow discrimination against LGBT people, who could be discriminated against by businesses with a religious intent – including hospitals run by religious organizations. The bill was debated and discussed for many hours…

Myth: Discrimination against transgender people is not a problem in Indiana. FACT: Most transgender Hoosiers report having experienced discrimination in a public accommodation setting. Many have either been fired from their jobs or are fearful of being fired if they disclose their trans status. Many transgender Hoosiers (especially young people)…

State legislators throughout Indiana are saying they don’t have any transgender constituents. We know that isn’t true – we get contacts from every county in the state asking for resources. But we also know that many trans Hoosiers outside of central Indiana are afraid to be open about their gender…

Authored by Sen. Travis Holdman and Sen. Brandt Hershman, SB344 was introduced on January 7th and referred to Committee on Rules & Legislative Procedure. This bill strips out all protections from transgender Hoosiers and sends the “gender identity” to a summer study committee. Download and read the current full text…

Update: Indiana Senate Bill 344 has just be introduced to the state legislature, and it would supercede this bill and strip out ANY protections for transgender Hoosiers, sending gender identity issues to a summer study committee. We will be writing about this new bill shortly. Authored by Sen. Travis Holdman,…

To address coming legislation about LGBT civil rights, several trans Hoosiers have come forward to tell their personal stories and share why having full civil rights protections for transgender people is essential in Indiana. Kimberly Acoff Kimberly Acoff has lived in Fort Wayne since her family moved there when she…

Authored by Sen. James Tomes, Indiana Senate Bill 35 will be introduced to the legislature on January 5, and will be read and sent to the Committee on Public Policy on that day. As currently written, the bill would criminalize the use of public restrooms by transgender people, which would…

Here are four anti-transgender videos that have been produced by Eric Miller of Advance America, one of several anti-gay and anti-transgender religious extremist lobbying organizations that have been around the Indiana Statehouse for nearly 30 years. Eric Miller has close relationships with many Republican lawmakers and for many years was…

Visible Transgender Day of Remembrance 12 Noon on Friday, November 20 Monument Circle, Indianapolis RSVP: Facebook event Why have a visible transgender day of remembrance? Author: Korvin Bothwell Transgender Day of Remembrance is a time for people to gather together and name those who were murdered in anti-transgender violence. It…

Deep Run Sunday, November 15, 2:15 p.m. IMA DeBoest Hall 75 minutes Ticket Information Executive produced by LGBTQ supporter Susan Sarandon and shot by first-time filmmaker Hillevi Loven, DEEP RUN is a powerful verité portrait of trans life in rural North Carolina. Exiled by her family and rejected by an…

The Crossroads Comedy Festival is a 3-day comedy festival featuring stand-up, sketch, improv and podcasts all over the country. The festival brings diverse talent, workshops on comedy, and featured performers to three Mass Avenue locations in Indianapolis. Friday’s events include an LGBT showcase. Transgender comedian Carina Magyar is one of…

via WISH-TV: INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Butler is adding new all-gender bathrooms to certain campus buildings. The dean of the arts college started the movement to get the bathrooms. He said it’s an important step to making everyone feel comfortable. Cambria York only uses all-gender bathrooms on campus. “You see a…

Freedom Indiana is reaching out to the transgender community and seek your participation in the Legislative Meet and Greet sessions they are planning throughout the state. Sponsored by Freedom Indiana Training Session on speaking about Transgender Issues Legislative Meet and Greet Sessions – North, South & Central Indiana First Central…

A collection of trending news stories we shared in social media in the past week. The New “Stonewall” Film Treats Trans People Like Inspirational Sidekicks ‘Stonewall’ fails to give the gay rights watershed the stirring film it deserves TIFF Review: Roland Emmerich’s Gay Rights Drama ‘Stonewall’ ‘Stonewall’: TIFF Review Toronto…

From the Indy Star: Transgender Hoosiers transition to new lives Coming out as transgender can alienate a person from family and friends. Studies show that about 20 percent of transgender people have been discriminated against when searching for a place to live. About 11 percent have been evicted because of…

We had a number of folks contact us about Indiana Medicaid. Among the things that trans Hoosiers were reporting to us was that they were not getting consistent information from Indiana Medicaid about whether their transition-related health care is covered under their health plans. They were being told: That hormone…

On Wednesday June 10th, Indy Pride presented “Living History: Living Proof. Living Truth. (Being Transgender in Indiana)” for the first-ever Circle City IN Pride History Night. Focusing on the transgender community, History Night at Indy Reads Books featured conversations and readings from C. Michael Woodward, prominent lecturer and author; Marissa…

The Transgender Event Tent will have many activities throughout the day on Saturday at Indy Pride: 12:00 – 12:45PM Find the right Counselor for YOU, or someone you love, with Rebecca Bickel LCSW 1:00 – 1:45PM Resource Groups – ITWA (Indiana Transgender Wellness Alliance), with Jacqueline Patterson, and PFLAG, with…

The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns Medical Trust provides insurance plans to member cities through provider network UnitedHealthcare. Before 2015, none of the medical plans available to city of Bloomington employees included transgender-inclusive medical benefits such as hormone replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery. Efforts from the city of…

Chili’s Restaurant at 6020 W. 86th St., Indianapolis (Traders Point) have been kind enough to offer to donate to Indiana Youth Group 15% of all proceeds from food/beverage sales for the entire month of June when you use one of the attached vouchers for your visit. Please feel free to…

We were contacted by a sociology faculty member from the University of Louisville who is seeking trans participants for a study: “I am a faculty member (sociologist by training) at the University of Louisville, and along with a colleague (also a sociologist) am conducting a qualitative, interview-based study of transgendered…

Meghan Buell is the director of Michiana GLBT Resource Center and has helped Indiana Transgender Network put together provider resources from South Bend. Last night she spoke to local news about her journey. How did we miss that Meghan made The Trans 100? Congratulations, Meghan! Via ABC57 News: Local transgender…

Those of us who have been involved in political organizing around LGBT issues have known for many years that Columbus-based business Cummins, which manufactures truck engines, is a vocal supporter of LGBT rights and its own LGBT employees. The Fortune 500 company has testified in the Indiana State Legislature on…

Democratic Rep. Ed DeLaney of Indianapolis is proposing an amendment to one of several laws that must be voted on by the Indiana State Legislature before the end of the session that would amend Indiana law to provide protection against discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers. The Indiana…

The leaders of Martinsville, Indiana are discussing adding a Human Rights Ordinance for their town, according to local news. The town has been chafing recently over the long-standing perception of the town as being racist and intolerant towards minority groups (a reputation that was fairly well-deserved, considering its history) and…

After a contentious week, the Indiana State legislature passed and Governor Mike Pence signed into law an amendment to SEA 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which threatened Indiana’s economic future after businesses and cities around the United States declared their intention of boycotting Indiana due to the discriminatory potential…

LGBT Healthlink – Hoosiers Got Game: Indiana Scores On LGBT Tobacco And Cancer Training Last week, we visited the Hoosier State and you can breathe the excitement in the air. The Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Commission at the Indiana State Department of Health (DOH) contacted us after receiving their LGBT…

We are forced to dramatically reduce our investment in IN based on our employee's & customer's outrage over the Religious Freedom Bill. — Marc Benioff (@Benioff) March 26, 2015 Today we are canceling all programs that require our customers/employees to travel to Indiana to face discrimination. http://t.co/SvTwyCHxvE — Marc Benioff…

Today Governor Mike Pence signed SB 101 into law, which will allow people and businesses to discriminate against LGBT Hoosiers on the basis of religion. The bill has a broad impact which will not require businesses to meet any sort of substantial-burden test illustrating how serving LBGT Hoosiers “substantially burdens…

Several states in the United States and some parts of Canada have recently attempted to create legislation restricting how trans people can use public restrooms in schools and other public places. Lambda Legal: FAQ About Restrooms & What to Do If You’re Hassled Mother Jones has an excellent summary of…

This morning the Indiana House of Representatives rejected all 4 amendments proposed to SB 101 the ‘RFRA’ bill that would open the door to allowing Hoosiers to discriminate against LGBT citizens under the guise of “religious freedom.” The amendments were intended to protect child safety (religious-owned daycare businesses in Indiana…

After their poisonous efforts to enact legislation limiting what bathrooms trans and gender diverse students may use in Kentucky schools failed past through the Kentucky State legislature, Republican Sen. C.B. Embry has attached the legislation to a bill brought to the statehouse by Kentucky high school students, designed to improve…